Juan Soto Propels Mets to Victory in High‑Scoring Night

Baseball is a relentless schedule, with games occurring nearly every day.

Here are the top moments from last night’s Major League Baseball games.

The Juan Soto Game

The Mets have struggled at times during the 2026 season, dealing with multiple injuries. Nonetheless, they remain five games behind for a wild‑card spot. Catcher Francisco Alvarez is back, and shortstop Francisco Lindor has begun a rehab assignment, potentially returning next week. Veteran left fielder Juan Soto, who missed early playing time due to injury, is now back and contributing.

On Thursday, facing NL East rival Phillies, Soto delivered a strong performance. In the top of the first inning, he launched an 87 mph changeup from starter Aaron Nola for a 386‑foot home run to open the scoring.

In the third inning, Soto faced Nola again and repeated the feat. A 92 mph sinker was driven 389 feet to right‑center, off his bat at 105 mph, giving the Mets a 3‑1 lead.

Soto’s other offensive contributions were limited to a walk, but he went 2‑for‑4 with two runs, two RBIs, and two home runs, an impressive performance. Defensively, he made a notable sliding catch, avoiding a collision with the wall and preserving the out.

The decisive blow came later, when second baseman Marcus Semien tripled, driving in Mark Vientos and rookie outfielder Carson Benge to extend the lead to 6‑3 and secure the win for the Mets.

A Pinch-Hit Grand Slam!

The White Sox avoided a sweep by the Yankees on Thursday and remained tied for first place in the AL Central with the Guardians, pulling off a dramatic win. The game’s opening run came on a home run by infielder Colson Montgomery, his 20th of the season, off Yankees starter Ryan Weathers.

Since his debut last season, Montgomery has appeared in 141 games, posting a .235/.318/.523 line with 41 home runs and 100 RBIs. This strong start helps the White Sox improve upon last year’s performance, which stumbled early before a more promising second half featuring players like Montgomery.

The only other run came in the third inning when Yankees third baseman Ryan McMahon hit a home run to tie the game. Reliever Sean Burke entered in the second inning and delivered 7 ⅓ innings of strong pitching aside from that homer.

The dramatic eighth inning began with a pinch‑hit double by Sam Antonacci, followed by Jacob Gonzalez being hit by a pitch. Center fielder Tristan Peters, the No. 9 hitter, was also hit by a pitch. After Meidroth struck out, Andrew Benintendi entered as a pinch‑hitter; Duval delivered a 99.8 mph sinker that barely moved, and Benintendi crushed it 393 feet for a grand slam.

The Yankees could not answer in the eighth or ninth innings, as Burke continued to dominate after McMahon’s homer. The pinch‑hit‑heavy eighth produced the White Sox’s 39th victory, a milestone they had not reached until July 29 of the previous season.

Well Yeah, This Pairing Makes Sense

Although the England national team is scheduled to play in Kansas City for the World Cup, they appeared at the Royals’ game on Thursday, where manager Thomas Tuchel threw out the ceremonial first pitch.

Even if the England team were not based in Kansas City, the matchup makes logical sense. England, a monarchy, aligns with the Kansas City Royals, whose name and lion mascot with a crown evoke regal themes. The Football Association’s coat of arms features lions, reflecting historic English symbolism, which explains the connection.

Local Man Makes History

Salvador Perez, a 15‑year veteran, homered for the Royals, marking his 137th home run at Kauffman Stadium and surpassing Hall of Famer George Brett to become the franchise’s all‑time leader in home runs at that venue.

Perez has accumulated 313 career home runs, most of which were hit on the road; while Kauffman Stadium has not traditionally favored power hitters, he still achieved the milestone.

The rest of the Royals’ lineup contributed as well, delivering six runs in the second inning and forcing starter Matthew Liberatore from the game before he could record six outs.

The bullpen struggled early, as Gordon Graceffo surrendered four runs, putting Kansas City ahead 11‑0 before the game reached its midpoint.

Kansas City secured a 14‑6 victory, and with the Tigers losing two consecutive games and idle on Thursday, the Royals moved into a tie for fourth place in the AL Central. Despite a 31‑45 record, they remain within 6.5 games of a wild‑card spot.

Mariners Down Orioles As Woo Shoves

The Mariners rebounded from a dozen strikeouts against Kyle Bradish to defeat the Orioles on Thursday. The game’s only runs came in the bottom of the first inning, when second baseman Cole Young delivered an RBI double to spark the scoring.

Shortstop Colt Emerson followed with a single to right field, scoring both Young and right fielder Dominic Canzone. Pitching thereafter was the focus: Shane Baz delivered seven innings for the Orioles, posting nine strikeouts, two walks, five hits, and three earned runs, but he was outperformed by Bryan Woo. Woo, a 26‑year‑old right-hander, also pitched seven innings, allowing three hits and one walk while striking out nine, earning a standing ovation for shutting out Baltimore.

The bullpen completed the victory, and the Mariners improved to a 39‑37 record, maintaining a 1.5‑game lead over the Athletics in the AL West.

That Could Have Been Bad

On a bright, sunny day in Seattle, center fielder Victor Robles and left fielder Miles Mastrobuoni nearly collided while attempting to catch a ball that seemed unlikely to be caught.

Robles called for the ball, but Mastrobuoni failed to hear him and continued forward. Fortunately, the catch was secured without a collision, and a slow‑motion replay showed their arms briefly intertwining without affecting the play.

The Red Sox Really Can’t Win At Fenway

The Red Sox are 17‑18 on the road but have slipped to 12‑25 at home after another loss at Fenway Park on Thursday. Facing the Blue Jays, they sought to avoid a sweep and a fourth consecutive home defeat, but were unsuccessful. First baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who has struggled for power this season, launched a home run to begin the game for the Blue Jays.

Although playing at Fenway does not guarantee success for Red Sox players, Boston rallied in the eighth inning when first baseman Willson Contreras drove in a run on a ground out in the seventh, followed by shortstop Isiah Kiner-Falefa’s home run the next inning and third baseman Caleb Durbin’s consecutive homers.

Nevertheless, the Red Sox could not hold the lead. In the top of the ninth, against closer Aroldis Chapman, catcher Brandon Valenzuela doubled to drive in second baseman Ernie Clement, restoring the Blue Jays’ 4‑3 advantage.

The Red Sox failed to score in the bottom of the ninth, as expected given their 12‑25 home record. The Blue Jays fell to one game under .500, and the Red Sox reached a franchise low: no team has ever made the postseason after a 29‑43 start, and Boston’s 1‑for‑29 showing with runners in scoring position in this series was a team‑worst.

The A’s Hit Hard And Fast

How did the Angels’ first inning perform against the A’s? Let’s examine the bottom of the first inning:

1. Shortstop and leadoff batter Zach Gelof recorded a single.
2. Nick Kurtz doubled to left, advancing Gelof to third base.
3. Catcher Shea Langeliers hit his 19th home run of the season, a 430‑foot drive to center field.
4. Left fielder Tyler Soderstrom followed with his 13th home run of the season, back-to-back.
5. Shortstop Jacob Wilson recorded a single.
6. Designated hitter Jonah Heim also singled.

The Angels recorded no outs until the sequence concluded. The following batter drove in another run with a sacrifice fly by center fielder Henry Bolte. The A’s completed the inning with Gelof walking in his second appearance and Kurtz ending the frame with a fly out.

All runs were scored in the bottom of the first inning. Reliever Ryan Johnson remained in the game, pitching four scoreless innings after a rough opening, while starter Gage Jump delivered seven scoreless innings, allowing only one hit and three walks while striking out seven. The A’s secured the win, narrowing the AL West gap with the Mariners to 1.5 games.

What A Play!

The Angels benefited from a remarkable play by third baseman Denzer Guzman, who fielded the ball, spun to position himself, and made an accurate throw.

Guzman also drew two walks, impressive given the A’s strong defense that limited the Angels’ offense on Thursday.

Source link